Steam iron base



ec., l, 955 B, F, PARR 2,774,56

STEAM IRON BASE Filed July 3, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l F 3 y INVENTOR 'BERNARD F. RR

ATTORN EY Dec. 18, 1956 B. F. PARR 2,774,156

STEAM IRON BASE Filed July 3, -1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR BERNARD F. PARR Eff-@ ATTORNEY.

STEAM IRON BASE Bernard F. Parr, Mansfield, Ohio, assigner to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Appncaasn July 3, 1953, serial No. 365,949

4 claims. (c1. ats-77) This invention relates to electrically heated steam nit States Patent O irons of the ash type and has for an object-to provide an improved iron of this kind. n Y

In a steaming iron of the type set forth, water is delivered from a reservoir to a steam generating chamber formed in the heated soleplate, by means of an orice and under control of an adjustable valve stem. The soleplate is electrically heated under control of a thermostat and progressively increases and decreases in temperature following respective periods of energization and deenergization of the heater. The water passed to -the steam generating chamber is vaporized and the vapor then flows through heated passages in the soleplate to spaced portions thereof for discharge. VIt has been found that vaporization is readily elected in the steaming chamber when the temperature of the soleplate is relatively high or in the upper portion of lits operating range but that, during periods when the soleplate temperature is lower or in the lower portion of its operating range, vaporization may be retarded. Accordingly, water particles may be carried with the steam moving through the heated passages to the points of discharge. During a pressing operation, these water particles are blown on the fabric being treated and may cause staining of the fabric.

Also, in steam irons of the above type, the water valve may be disposed in the forward portion of the iron so that, when the iron is upended, it is not necessary to shut oit the water flow to the steam generating chamber, since the orifice will assume a position which is above the water level in the reservoir. However, during the upending operation, some water may flow into the steam generating chamber and then gravitate to the rearwardly disposed heated passages, where it is rapidly converted to steam and violently ejected from the soleplate by what is generally known as a pung action. This phenomenon is also undesirable, since there is the danger of scalding the operator and also the unexpected hissing sound may cause alarm on the part of the operator.

lt is, therefore, a further object of the invention to prevent the passage of water from the steam generating chamber to the discharge passages of the iron and, therefore, preclude the staining of the fabrics being treated.

A still further object is to provide an improved steam iron in which the pulling action upon upending the iron is considerably reduced or eliminated entirely.

ln accordance, with the foregoing objects, I provide a barrier forming a cup-shaped trap in the steam generating chamber for trapping liquid which'would otherwise tlow to the steam passages together with the steam generated in the steam generating chamber.

The trap is disposed rearwardly of the valve orifice and is preferably U-shaped'with side walls extending upwardly to the cover plate for the soleplate. T he trap is-preferably'made integral with the bottom wall of the steam generating chamber so that it is constantly at the same temperature as the bottom Wall ofthe steam generating chamber.A Also, itis spaced from the s ide walls of the steam generating chamber, so that it is not heated by direct action of the heating element but is heated by heat conducted to it by the bottom wall of the steam generating chamber. The last mentioned wall is concave and sloped downwardly in rearward direction, so that water which has not been vaporized ows into the contines of the trap.

As mentioned previously, the temperature of the soleplate and of the steam generating chamber uctuates between a high value and a low value because of the intermittent energiza-tion of the heating element by the thermostat. With the above arrangement, during the low temperature period of the steam generating chamber, water which is unvaporized will ilow from the steam generating chamber into the trap, where it is stored until itis evaporated during the Vnext high temperature period of the steam generating chamber. Also, when the iron is upended, water ows into the connes of the trap and is collected therein. This Vwater is' prevented from flowing into the passages where it would be violently converted into steam and ejected through the soleplate. Should the iron be upended during the high temperature period of the steam generating chamber, the water collected in the confines of the trap is gradually converted into steam without the usual puffing action. Should the iron be upended during the low temperature period of the steam generating chamber, water collected in the trap is retained therein until the next high temperature period of the steam generating chamber.

The above and other objects are effected by the invention as will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a ash type steam iron having my invention incorporated therein, some of the parts of the iron being shown in vertical section to illustrate the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the soleplate, the cover plate and the passages formed therein being shown in dot-and-dash lines.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line III-III of Fig. 2; Y

Fig. 4 is a perspective of the soleplate and its cover plate, the cover plate having been rotated to show the passages formed therein; and

Fig. 5 is a side elevation substantially similar to that shown in Fig. l, but on a smaller scale and with the iron in upended position.

Referring to the drawings in detail, especially Fig. 1, l show a steam iron of therash type having a soleplate 10, which may be an aluminum casting, al water reservoir 12 disposed above the soleplate, a shell 14 enclosing the reservoir and extending downwardly to the soleplate and a manipulating handle 16, preferably attached to the rear portion of the shell 14.

A heating element 18, preferably of the sheathed type, is embedded in or otherwise attached to the soleplate 10 and is controlled by the thermostat 20. The thermostat 20 may be of any desired type, adjustable by a knob 22 which is rotatable to select the mean temperature at which the soleplate is to be maintained.

An adjustable valve, having an orice 24 which is adapted to be opened and shut'by a valve stem 25 connected Ato a rotatable knob 26, is attached to the reservoirr`12 for delivering` water from the reservoir to a steam generating chamber 28 formed in the soleplate 10.

Referring to Figs. 2 fand 4, the steam generating chamber 28 is provided in the forward portion of a large, centrally disposed recess 30 formed in the soleplate 19 and is arranged so -thatwater owing through the valve orifice 24 will impinge onl the bottom wall 31 thereof.

' The recess 30 has a pair of oppositely disposed side walls Vlet'ports 35 spaced along its periphery for discharging Vsteamyto the bottom surface of the soleplate. A cover plate 3S, provided with a central depending hat portion si? and a downwardly extendingV peripheral Vharige 42, is

attached Vto the upper surface of, thersoleplate to close Y the ',upper openings of the U-'shaped recess 'Eiland the steam Youtlet ports 35 from the atmosphere.' The Vplate Y Y 3S is further provided withY a number 'of-d'epending tinsV armate the textileV being ironed. Should any water not be im-V 1 l mediately vaporized, it flows down the sloping walls,-

e3,Y 44 and 45'which cooperate with the upper surface of Ythefsoleplatetojprovidle passages'. connectingV the steam' generating chamber ZStofthe ports V35.v TheV coverl plate 33 is` attached to the soleplate irl/'vaporY tight relation by means of Yscrews 45.; Thusfthe steam generating chamber Zrisl connected to the ports 35 by lpassages extending from the 'rear recess portions 33 upwardly and then along theupper surface ofthe solepl'a'te and around the ns 43, 4.4andV 45 to the ports`35.

The heating Yelement lis generally U-shaped (as indicated inV Fig., 2) and extends Varoundlth'etsidev walls` 32 of the Vrecess 30 in the soleplate with its terminal portions 48 extending to the rear or heelportion 5t! of .the soieplate'. Thus, it will be seen that the steam generating chamber 28 and the Yrearwardly extending Yrecess portions '33 are disposed in the bight of the heating ele-.V

ment andare highly heated by the heating element.Y The thermostat Y2i) is mounted adja'cent'theY rear of arid between the recess portions 33 upon aspot face portion 52, so that it is responsive primarily to the temperature of the central portion of the soleplate; i

' 53 of thev steam generating chamber VtowardV the con-V iines of the trap 54, ,where it isV retained. until complete evaporation takes place.

During the course of ironing, the heating element. 1S' is energized until the temperature of the soleplate adjacent the thermostat 2) attains the temperature fon which the thermostat has been set: VWhenthe selected' temperature is attainedi-the thermostat atsito'deen ergize theheatingelement 18. Since water is dripping Yconstantly into the steam generating chamber '2;8, the

bottom wall 31 Yof the steam generating chamber coolsy rapidly, since it is giving up heat to the water being trans;

V Yformed into steam,-whiletherearwardly.extending re-VVV cessY portions 33, not being subjected tothe same heat losses, fall in temperature more slowly. Thus, the temperature ofthe steam generating chamber varies between K a high value anda low value.v the lowfteiripera;V ture period VVof thesteam generating .chamberbottorn wall, the water coming into contact witht'hefbottorrifwall 'l Y y i may not befcmpletely transforme'drginto steam. The

water which is not transformed into steamflows down.V the sloping walls 58 of the steamjgenerating chamber.V` .and is directed into :the contines of :the trap 54. Thus, even though watermay.l not. beV fully-fvaporizedV Vduring Y the low ter'nperatureY period of the.V bottom wall, it is'prein accordance with my inventi0n,`I provide a gen- A e'rally kU-'shaped trap or barrier 54 which is disposed in 'the Vrear portion of the steam generating chamber 28, Vthat is, rearwardly of the valve orifice 24. The Vtrap'54Y is preferably integral with the bottom wall 31 of the steam generating chamber 2S butY is spaced from the side Y.vaiis 32 and Vwalls 34 and is Yprovided with a rear wall Y e5 and oppositely disposed side walls 56 extending up-Y wardly into Vabutment with the .lower face of the cenral portieri/46 of the coverV plate, thereby forming withV Vthe bottori1 wall31 ofY the lsteam generating chamber yand the-central portion 4t?, front end. t n Thefbottomgwall 31 is inclineddownwardly in'r'ear-y kward direction (see Fig.y l) aridf is' concave transversely ofthe Vlongitudinal*agis of the soleplate V(see Fig. 3),Yso

. and any residual water contained within the trap54 is yof the Vsteam generating chamber. N Y i When the temperatureof ythe soleplate. adjacent the v thermostat 2t) falls below the temperature for which the vented from flowing rearwardly to the relatively much hottersurfaces of the recessfportions 33, where it would otherwise be `.violently'flashed into steam and blown out with sorn'e Ywater Vparticles entrainedV therein. The water caught'in the'confines ofthe trap1 54 is'slowly vaporized during the llow'temperature period ofthe bottom wall thermostat isfset, the thermostat. acts toreinitiate Venergiation of the heating element:` Thebottom wall131 of the Vsteam generating chamberis-'thus reheatedjto-'the temperature at which steam; generation is'rapidly attained' then vaporized, together with the water dripping through the orifice V24, ,and passes out Vthrough the steaml out- Yiet ports 35, in the YVrnanner' previouslyidescribed.

a cuprwhich is operr A`at theV .Y

Y t it presents surfacesf siopingftoward thefconiines n Y, V fof'tne, trap 5.1i 'fromfall'directions Thus, water ilowing into the steam'. generating 'chamber .through `the valve orifice 241s directed into the contines of ythetrap 54.!

e opa-...m ma 1 ai@ When the steam ,iron is'tobe ing, water isfintroduced into 'thevr reservoir VVV12 by ineens;

not shown) (andthe thermostatV knob 22 isrotatedjto operated for steaml iron- 560* able to VYupend "therFQDi that is to-'rotatcf the ironrabout -the'rearend thereof Vtothe position shown in Fig.V 5, where.

' YVthe selected temperature setting;Y The heatin'g'relernent 1S Y.,

is 'thereupony energized and, withinia short time, heatsv 'i thesoleplate liand the steam generating chamber'ZS f Atotheselected temperature. VThe valveri'inob'r26'is then 'rotated tothe openlpo-sition, Qrasing the valvestemitZjS and allowing Vwater; fromY the reservoirr12 to ow `through f o'peration,l that 1s', during movementgoffthei ''horizontalr position shown in Fig. lit: the ve Y Y r A u 'shown in Fig. 5,:water will how Vthroughthe 'orifice'.until, Y f

the orifice] 2774' into'jthe .steam l generatinggebamber V23. 1

` Upon-impingement'with the bottomwall:3i ofthe steamVV generating chamber,V the water Vis rapidlyf-heated'and Y flashed into stream, VThe Vsteam hows rearwardly through the recessportions', upwardly and otitwar'dlyalong the `1 time further ow Ais interruptedi.'y `Such. wate Ywhichtow .Y passages'dened by the upper-,surfaces of the soleprlateS/f Yiand the'Y tins '43, #i4 and in'thefcover-plate38, 'and then vdownwardly Vthrough the steam 'outlet ports 35 Y to Since the trap Y54 is'spacedifrom-thesidewalls 32` of V.the steam v generating chamber and the walls 34 and since it is in Contact with the bottom wall 3 1fof the steam geni erating chamber, the ftrapclosely-follows the.;tempera'.-V

f ture of therbottom wall 31. g' Hence whenithe bottom wall Y I V31 is cooled, the trap 5.4 is also cooled'tosubstantially `the same .temperature asrthat ofthelbottom wall "31, so

that the waterirflowirig into the trapVV is Vnot suddenly furiously evaporated, .asw'ould be the'case lifrthetrarp- Y Seli-werein-contactwith'thefside Vwailsof the steam VVgen`` eratingchamberV or the walls of the recess portions. andv Y' were toireceiv'e'heat'directly fromV the heating element VJ1,3;Y

During the course'iof :an ironing operation, iit is'V desi'r-V .the soleplatefvis disposed in a generally vertical plane4 and if Vout lof Contact fwith the textile. During the; upendiirgVV nl from; theV Vthelgoritice iselevlated to a level'abovegthat oiithe.water4 Y 4pontained inthe reservoir 12, as knoitinithe aratwhich int the V'steam generatingch'amh Y .'.duringfitheup'entiing together with the bottom wall 31 of the steam generating chamber and the lower face 40 of the cover plate 38. The water collected in the trap 54, as indicated at Fig. 5, is prevented from spilling out by the side walls 56 of the trap.

Should the iron be upended during the time in which the bottom wall 31 is at a high temperature, the water caught in the trap `54 is vapor-ized in the same manner that it is vaporized in the steam generating chamber and is emitted through the outlet ports 35 at normal velocity. Hence, the attendant puffing action is absent or at least considerably diminished.

Should the iron be upended when the bottom wall 31 is relatively cool, the water collected in the trap 54 is retained therein and is slowly vaporized until the steam generating chamber is again heated by the heating element, which heating may occur when the iron is again lowered to the horizontal position shown in Fig. l, at which time, any water remaining in the trap is evaporated in the usual manner and is ejected through the outlet ports 35 onto the textile being roned.

It will now be seen that I have provided an improved ash type steam iron wherein the discharge of water from the passages of the soleplate during a pressing operation and pulling action during upended periods are substantially eliminated at relatively low cost. In this connection, it will be noted that the barrier 54 may be cast Y integrally with the soleplate 10 and the top surface of the walls 55 and 56 of the barrier 54 are machine iinished with the inishing of the upper face of Ithe soleplate 10.

While the invention has been shown in but one form, it Will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

l. A steam iron of the ash type comprising a soleplate having front and rear portions and provided with a bottom pressing surface, a steam generating chamber disposed in said soleplate and provided with a side wall, said soleplate having a passage extending from the rear portion of said steam generating chamber and communieating with said bottom pressing surface, a cover plate disposed in vapor-tight relation to'said soleplate and overlying said steam generating chamber and said passage, an electric heating element having a portion disposed adjacent said steam generating chamber side wall and a portion disposed adjacent said passage, means for admitting water to said steam generating chamber through said cover plate, and a trap disposed` in said steam generating chamber rearwardly of said water admitting means, said steam generating chamber having a bottom surface sloping downwardly in the Vdirection' toward-said trap and serving to direct unvaporized water into the confines of said trap, said trap being in spaced relation to the side wall of said steam generating chamber and having a U-shaped wall extending upwardly from said bottom surface to said cover plate, said trap wall, together with the bottom surfaces of said steam generating chamber and of said cover plate, forming a cup having an opening facing said water admitting means, and said trap serving to obstruct flow of said water to said passage.

2. A steam iron of the flash type comprising a soleplate having front and rear portions and provided with a bottom pressing surface, a steam generating chamber disposed in said soleplate and provided with a side wall,

Vsaidrsoleplate having a passage extending lrearwardly from said steam generating chamber and communicating with said bottom pressing surface, a cover plate disposed in vapor-tight relation to said soleplate and overlying said steam generatingvchamber and Ysaid passage, -an electric heating element having a portion disposed adjacent said steam generating chamber side wall and a portion disposed adjacent said passage, means for admitting water to'said steam generating chamber through said cover plate, a thermostat for controlling the energization of said heating element, said thermostat being disposed in good heat transfer relation to a portion of said soleplate remote from said steam generating chamber, and a barrier disposed in said steam generating chamber rearwardly of said water admitting means, said steam generating chamber having a bottom surface sloping downwardly in the direction toward said barrier, said barrier being in spaced relation to the side wall of said steam generating chamber and having a U-shaped wall extending upwardly from said bottom surface to said cover plate, said barrier wall, together with the bottom surface of said steam generating Vchamber and of said cover plate, forming a cup having an opening facing said water admitting means, the bottom surface of Said steam generating chamber serving to direct unvaporized water into the contines of said barrier through said opening and said barrier serving to obstruct ow of said water to said passage.

3. A steam iron of the flash type having a soleplate provided with a front portion and a rear portion and having a bottom pressing surface, a handle connected to said soleplate for manipulating the iron and for'upending said iron to a position in which said front part of the soleplate is disposed uppermost and said bottom pressing surface is disposed substantially vertically, a steam generating chamber disposed in said soleplate and provided with a side wall and a bottom wall, said soleplate having a passage extending from the rear portion of said steam generating chamber and communicating with said bottom pressing surface, a cover plate disposed in vapor-tight relation to said soleplate a-nd overlying said steam generating chamber and said passage, a sheathed electric heating element of generally U-shape attached to said soleplate and extending from said front portion of said soleplate to the rear portion of said soleplate with its bight facing rearwardly, said heating element extending around the side wall of said steam generating chamber and said passage, means for admitting water to the steam generating chamber through said cover plate, a thermostat for controlling the energization of said heating element, means for mounting said thermostat in good heat transfer relation to a portion of said soleplate disposed within the bight of said heating element remote from ksaid steam generating chamber, Aand a barrier disposed in said steam generating chamber rearwardly of saidwater admitting means, said steam generating chamber having a bottom surface with portions sloping downwardly towards each other and rearwardly toward said barrier for directing unvaporized water into the contines of said barrier, said barrier being in spaced relation to the side wall of said steam generating chamber and having a wall extending upwardly from said bottom .surface to said cover plate, said barrier wall having a K rear portion and side portions, which portions together with the bottom surfaces of said steam generating chamber andsaid cover plate form a cup opening toward said water admitting means, said barrier serving to obstruct ow of water to said passage when said' steamV iron is in the upended position, as well as in a horizontal position.`VY 4. In a ash type steam iron, the :combination of a` water from the reservoir to a portion of said .steam generating chamber, a heater for the soleplate and disposed Y in intimate heat ,transfer relationship with said passage,

'andmeans defining/an penY front, cupv Shaped trap Within Y,Refei'ences Cited in the leif this patent I UNiTED STATES 1='AT13`1-ITSv Cooper Y Dec. Y24,1935

' Marvin Feb. 11, 1941V Kistner Sept. 18,A 1945 Kistner July 24, V19571 Morton fMar. 11, 19.52

Marvin et a1 Jan. 25,179.55 

